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New interpretation of A Midsummer Night’s Dream to tour Welsh sites of historical interest |
This Summer, theatre company Taking Flight will tour a new interpretation of Shakespeare’s much loved comedy A Midsummer Night’s Dream around Welsh sites of historical interest (including Gnoll Estate Country Park in Neath and Blaenavon Ironworks in Torfaen) and various UK festivals. The production boasts a fully inclusive cast of disabled, sensory impaired and non-disabled actors, including Cara Readle from The Story of Tracy Beaker who has cerebral palsy. The production promises to lead audiences on a magical journey filled with laughter, puppetry and original live music. All performances will be supported with BSL (British Sign Language) / SSE (Sign Supported English), with Audio Description available at selected venues. Touch tours for visually impaired audience members will also be available on request – see www.takingflighttheatre.co.uk Director of the production and Co-Artistic Director of Taking Flight, Elise Davison comments: “This is my sixth show for Taking Flight and each year it becomes bigger and better. We are hoping for the early Summer we have had the past few years - fingers crossed we get it! I am often asked about working inclusively and how it effects the rehearsal process; it doesn't really - certainly not in an artistic sense anyway - all our actors are professional and incredibly talented so the only provisions that need to be made is to ensure that venues are accessible and that we have staff on hand to assist with technical requirements such as quick changes. When working with actors who are sensory impaired we need to have interpreters and to make sure all the cast and crew have received training on equality and diversity so they are aware of provisions that need to be made, for example, facing any actors with hearing impairments and introducing yourself when you walk into the space when working with blind or visually impaired performers, so everyone is working on a level playing field so to speak. I make no changes to how I would rehearse a piece, just as I make no changes to the audition process; the actor most suitable for the role is cast. There is no aaahh factor, there is no 'well done' and certainly no pats on the head. Taking Flight is about challenging those misconceptions – but we don't want to give it a 'worthiness', it is just good theatre. There is nothing special about what we do, we don't want a medal for trying so hard. We simply want to make the arts accessible to all and we want everyone to see beyond what can't be done and to see what can be done - more what we are 'able to do' and less what we are 'disabled' to do. Our performers are excellent role models for young disabled people who may perceive a career in the arts as impossible - nothing is impossible, sometimes you just have to find a different way of looking at it.” A Midsummer Night’s Dream tours from 2 May to 8 June – full details of the tour can be found on Taking Flight’s website www.takingflighttheatre.co.uk |
| Taking Flight web site: www.takingflighttheatre.co.uk |
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Monday, April 29, 2013 |
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